Bowling-alley.



G. E. COLMAN.

aowuma ALLEY. APPLIC'ATIQN FILED NOV. 9|19l6- 1 $45,684. Patented Nov.6, 1917.

Irwenior: George E. Colman,

uturn of the spent balls to a point within the reach of the player.

Th invention consists in certain 'novel GEORGE E. COLMAN, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

BOWLING-ALLEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented'Nov. 6, 1917.

Application filed November 9, 1916. Serial No. 130,460.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. CoLMsN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica,

and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBowling-Alleys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy bowling alleys adapted to be used as aparlor game, and it has for its object the production of a device ofthis character which may be folded into a small space when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball'track therefor, theinclination of which may be varied at will to give a greater or lessermomentum to the balls as desired. A further object of the invention isto provide a simple arrangement for the re features of construction andarrangement of parts which will be fully. understood by reference to thedescription of the drawings and to the claimshereinafter given.

For the purpose of.illustrating the invention. one preferred formthereof. is illus-.

trated in the drawings, this form'having been found to give satisfactoryand reliable ganization of these instrumentalities, as

herein shown and described.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a plan of a bowling alley embodying the principlesof the pres ent invention.

Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the same, on line22 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section on line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. l represents a transverse vertical section on line 1- l on Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 represents a section on line 22, showing the parts foldedtogether when not in use, and

Figs. 6 and 7 represent details of a modified form of ball track.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figuresof the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is a pin table having side walls 11 and an end wall12 extending upwardly above said table. Between the side walls'll andthe table 10 are gutters 12?. "The rearend of the table 10 is separatedfrom the end wall 12, permitting the balls to fall upon the inclinedbottom 13.

The bottom l inclines downwardly t0 ward the front of the table 10, andisprovided on its upper surface with adiagonal cleat 1e1- which isadapted to direct the spent balls on the inclined bottom 13 to anopening 15' in a transom 16 extendingtrans versely beneath the table 10'and between the walls 11. is a trough 17 adapted toI'QClVe the spentballs. i Y

To the front endsof'the side walls 11 are faces oft-he side-walls '19,said slotsfb'eing' adapted to receive the supports 22 when the apparatusis in use. supports'22 may be practically as indicated in the drawings,or at any desired inclinalVlienthe apparatus is not in use the-supfoldedover upon the table 10, said side walls 19 and supports 22 beingpartially positioned within the gutters 12*, all as shown in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings.

The pins 23 have secured to their lower ends cords 2 1 extending throughvertical openings in the table 10, said cords 24 all being connected at25 to a single cord 26 extending through a staple 27 on the under sideof the table 10, and being connected at its outer end 28 to the frontend of the ball track 20.

When the pins 23 have been upset they may again be set in position bypulling upon the cord 26. When the apparatus is not in use the pins 23may lie fiat upon the table 10 in the position indicated in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings.

The trough 17 is in such position that the operator may readily removethe balls there- In front of the transom 16 To the front ends and innerIt is obvious that the tion, thereby varying the inclinationof the balltrack 20, and thus varying the speed, of the balls as'they pass down theinclined j track 20 onto'the horizontal pin table 10.

9O poits 22 are folded over the inside of the side wall.s 19, and theball track is then from when playing the game. Extending transversely ofthe apparatus between the side walls 11 are two wires 29 which supportthe cords 24 and 26 and prevent them from sagging down into the path ofthe balls as they move down the inclined bot tom 13. If desired, theinclined ball track 20 as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings may bedispensed with and a modified form of track used such as is shown inFigs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. This modified form consists of a rod 30extending transversely of the front end of the apparatus between theside walls 11. Loosely pivoted to the rod 30 by means of eyes 31surrounding said rod are two parallel rods 32 the outer ends of whichare secured in a handle When this modified form of ball track is usedthe operator seizes with his left hand the handle 33 and moves it intoany desired vertical inclination or at any desired horizontal angle tothe rod 30 and places the ball on the rods 32 adjacent to the handle 33and per mits said balls to run down the track formed by said rods 32onto the table 10.

By means of this toy device a game of ten pins may be played inpractically the same manner that the game is played upon. a full-sizedbowling alley. When not in use the device may be folded up in smallcompass, as indicated in Fig. 5.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of this devicewill be fully understood from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a bowling alley,a pin table; side walls therefor extending abovethe upper surface and beyond the rear end thereof; an end wall removedfrom the rear end of said table and connected to said side walls; abottom secured to said side walls and inclining downwardly from saidrear wall to the front of said table; a transom interposed between andsecured to the opposite side walls beneath the front end of said table,said transom being positioned at the front end of said inclined bottomand having a delivery opening therein; and a cleat diagonally secured tothe upper face of said bottom with its rear end abutting a side wall andadapted to direct the spent balls to said delivery opening.

2. In a bowling alley, a pin table; side walls therefor extending abovethe upper surface and beyond the rear end thereof; an end wall removedfrom the rear end of said table and connected to said side walls; abottom secured to said side walls and inclining downwardly from saidrear wall to the front of said table; a transom interposed between andsecured to the opposite side walls beneath the front end of said table,said transom being positioned at the front end of the inclined bottomand having a delivery opening therein; a cleatdiagonally secured to theupper face of said bottom with its rear end abutting a side wall andadapted to direct the spent balls to said de livery opening; and a balltrough beneath the front end of said table and communicating with saiddelivery opening.

3. In a bowling alley, a pin table having gutters on opposite sidesthereof; side walls outside of said gutters; a ball track with sidewalls pivoted to the front ends of the side walls of said table andadapted to be folded over into said gutters; and supports pivoted to thefront end of said ball track and adapted to be folded over within thewalls of said track.

Signed by me at 1 Post Oh'ice Sq, Boston, Mass, this 8th day ofNovember, 1916.

GEORGE E. COLMAN.

IVitnesses NATHAN C. Loarnann, IVALTER E. LOMBARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

